Workers can expect outlook for machinist positions to be good

Published 3:21 pm, Friday, April 26, 2013

Employers are seeking students who have had many hours on the equipment - not lecture hours, but working on actual equipment.

Employers are seeking students who have had many hours on the equipment - not lecture hours, but working on actual equipment.

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Workers can expect outlook for machinist positions to be good

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Job opportunities for machinists are expected to be excellent as employers continue to value the wide-ranging skills of these workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Many seeking a career in machining technology are now opting for more formal education and training, giving them the competitive edge they need to become desirable job candidates in this industry.

Many Houston-area colleges and universities have developed programs and curriculum to better equip machining technology students.

Linda L. Head, associate vice chancellor for Workforce Education & Corporate Partnerships for the Lone Star College System, said Lone Star College offers students a wide range of certificate and degree options to fit their education and career plans.

"We offer non-credit, credit certificate and credit associate degree options. We also provide customized offerings for corporations who have incumbent workers that they need to train," Head said.

"Finally, we are cross-walking all that we do to national industry credentials, such as NIMS (National Incident Management System)."

More Information

Further details

For more information, visit www.lonestar.edu/cluster-energy-manufacturing.htm.

Lone Star College's machining technology program is designed to prepare graduates for careers in the operation and programming of computer numeric control (CNC) mills and lathes used extensively in the manufacturing industries.

"Topics within the certificate program include blueprint reading, manufacturing materials and processes, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and extensive hands-on setup, operation and programming of CNC mills and lathes," Head said. "Our instruction is primarily offered in hands-on labs that are flexible for the instructor. Employers want our students to have had many hours on the equipment - not lecture hours, but working on actual equipment."

These employers, Head said, are reaching out to college programs to find students with this hands-on experience and the formal training. Head herself experienced the tremendous employer demand for machinists in the Gulf Coast region.

"Thirty-two years ago, I moved from Erie, Pa., to Houston, because manufacturing in Pennsylvania had died," Head said.

"Machine operators in their early 20s there were losing their jobs, and there were no good-paying jobs for HR generalists right out of college. Here we are now, lucky to be in Houston, where manufacturing is huge, oil and gas is huge and health care is huge."

Head said machine operators are vital to these industries, as they are responsible for making drilling rigs, pipelines, refineries, MRI and CT scanners, and a number of other specialized, high-demand products.

Those pursing a career in machining, however, need to have a number of personal, educational and skill qualifications in order to be successful in the field.

"First of all, everyone has to be able to pass a drug and alcohol test and background check, and speak English," Head said.

"Next, they need to have basic work-force professional skills, such as personal hygiene, appropriate dress, appropriate verbal communication, strong work ethic, strong business ethics, attention to detail, ownership of quality work, great attendance, teamwork and a bit of understanding of how the position fits in with the company's success. Then, all of the technical skills."

Head had advice for those considering a profession in machining, but who are hesitant to make the first step toward a machinist career.

"Try it - if you are not sure what you want to do, but need to make a livable wage for you or a family, machining is a fabulous career or a start in manufacturing and oil and gas," Head said.

"Women are as likely to succeed in this field as men, too. In today's machine shop, overhead cranes do the heavy lifting. On a CNC machine, an engineer does the design and programming. The employer pays for overtime and health benefits."